Noni GPS Plotter for Geocaching - Load maps and increase receiver sensitivity

[Captain IIII]

NoniMap is really a very powerful tool if used correctly.  I've been fiddling with it a bit lately and thought I would share my discoveries with the rest of the newbies.  No doubt many people already know all this stuff but I didn't find anywhere where is was all together in one place.

First of all, there is a new version of NoniMap out, 2.65 English.  This document is based on this version so you if you don't have it, some of these things might not work.  It can be had here:

Noni Map Vs. 2.65
http://aeguerre.free.fr/Download/Download.php?file=NoniGPSPlotV2.65.cab

Next, Noni is now publishing a free version and a pay version.  For a small donation of 5 Euros via paypal you can save map settings after you close out of NoniMap as well as some other nice perks.  A VERY nice feature.  Think about sending the man some money, he does good work.  You can make a donation here and he will send you an unlock code to enable the advanced features.

*Edit* We have also discovered that coordinates are not auto-entered for you from .map files during the map import process if you are a freeware user.  See below for details. *Edit*

Donate to Noni.
http://aeguerre.free.fr/Public/PocketPC/NoniGPSPlot/donate.php

The first thing that I do when geocacheing is to turn off Static Navigation.  This is not directly related to Noni but helps it to work much better.  Because the SIRF chip in the Mio units is used for driving mainly, they impose some limits on it that basically decrease sensitivity at slow speeds.  Effectively, if you are moving less than about 5 mph or within a radius of about 20 feet, it won't show much movement, or if it does, it will be erratic.  This is why sometimes when you use MioMap or NoniMap for geacaching it doesn't seem to register small movements once you get slowed down near the cache.  This feature can be turned off with a little utility called MMSirf.  This utility runs a bit funny on mine.  It fills the screen except for a bar along the top and in order to open any other apps, you have to do it through the task bar.  I assume this is because they don't want you closing out without setting your unit back to it's original settings.  Either way, it's a small annoyance and to me is worth getting the benefits. He doesn't have an install *.cab, you just run the exe on your PC and it installs it automagically through activesync.  Of course it goes without saying that activesync must be connected and working properly before this will work.  Make sure you have it set to COM 2 and 4800.  See below.



You can get it here:

Turn off Static Navigation - MMSIRF
http://www.gpspassion.com/download/MMSirfSetup.exe

*Edit*  Some people have experienced some problems getting MMSirf to install.  I have not been able to replicate them as of yet, but offer as an alternative another program which can do the same thing.  It is called APLSirf and can be had here.  http://www.gpspassion.com/download/APLSIRF-0-0-0-2.zip  It is a bit more complicated and I have not actually used it.  *Edit*

Once you have Static Navigation Off (Don't forget to turn back on for Car use) then you can use Mio units quite nicely for Geocaching.  After a while though, I wished I could get a map displayed in the background so I could see what I was doing.  Fortunately, Noni has anticipated this and built a very nice feature into his program that does just that.

There are two different ways to get maps into your NoniMap.  One uses Google's maps (Satellite, Road Map or Hybrid) and the other uses any other map (or image) in jpg, bmp or gif format.  By far the easiest way to do this is to use the Google maps.  So I will explain that method first.  Then I will get to the more complicated, mathematatical (like that? :-]) way.

The first method is simple, but you need another program to make it work.  Download the program below and Extract the contents of the zip into a folder on your computer.  It doesn't have to be installed, it just has to be extracted and the exe has everything it needs to run in that folder.

GoogleMapView
http://aeguerre.free.fr/Download/GoogleMV1.zip

When it first opens, it is in Cyrillic I think.  You have to click on the configuration icon --> Select Language Tab --> Select English --> Select OK (See Below).  Now you can read it.  The first thing to do is to Select whether you want satellite, Map or Hybrid (Photo overlaid with Map).  You can cycle through the different options by selecting the globe button. (See below). 



Then you zoom/scroll over to whatever area of the map you want to capture.  Now it is important to note here that you can't just capture all the united states at street level.  The file would be enormous.  When you load a *.map/*.jpg file into Noni, the entire file must be loaded into RAM.  So if you get too big of a file, you won't be able to load it.  I've found on mine that about the largest file I can do is 2500X2500 pixels ~ 10MB.  At any rate, you use the selection tool (the box made with dotted lines) to select the area you want to export.  Then on the new menu bar that opens, you can select the zoom level you want to export.  The menu bar will then tell you how large the corresponding image will be in pixels and the status bar on the bottom right will tell you in est - MB.  The higher the zoom number, the closer you are zooming in and the larger the corresponding file.  Zoom 15 generally corresponds to street level in most areas, at this zoom you can read most street names.  Once you have the area, zoom and JPG compression selected, you can click start and it will open the export window.  Here you can adjust a number of things, see below for default preferred settings.  Then you hit OK, on the next screen just select where you want to export to and Voila!



Now transfer the two files (*.jpg and *.map) to SD card.

Once on SD card, open up Noni, tap the screen to bring up the Menu.  Select Advanced Setup --> Maps --> New.  This will bring up the screen below.



Click on the [>] button and navigate to where you have your maps, select the *.jpg file you just sent, it will auto fill the name space at that point.  Then click import and navigate to where you have your maps again and this time choose the *.map file, that will auto fill center coords and width.

*Edit* We have since discovered that the auto entry of information from the map file is a feature only available to paying users.  (Need I remind you it is only 5 Euros? ;-))  Freeware users will get a pop-up window displaying what the values should be and will have to enter them manually with the keypad.  This is a bit tedious, but still a vast improvement over cropping and calculating yourself what the center coords and map width should be.  Also I should note that the freeware version will conveniently 'forget' all the maps you enter in as soon as you close out and you will have to re-enter next time you open NoniMap. *Edit*

Now hit OK and once again, Viola!





One very handy thing that Noni has done is that he has made it possible to put a very broad map zoomed out to 10 or 11 so you can see the general lay of the land/roads and then put a more detailed map near your destination where you need street level/trail level maps.  This way as long as you are on a main road/highway you can stay zoomed out and have an idea of where you are.  Then when you get to where you need more detailed coverage, you just zoom in and you can see the more detailed picture.  Very handy for geocaching.  I get very zoomed in pics of the geocache coordinates and then put them on top of a zoomed out map of the general area so I can get some idea of where I need to go and how I am going to get there.  Then once I am there I can see some landmarks to help me hone in.  You'll make other geocachers green with envy :-).



I think this is enough for tonight.  I will write about the slightly more complicated way some other day.  Also, if you are a fan of http://www.geocaching.com/ there is a way to import their files into Noni, but too tired to write it tonight.  It has to do with converting the *.loc file into a *.csv file and then importing it.  You can use Geocaching Swiss Army knife to do the conversion.  If you can read French or really just understand it a bit Noni's directions for non-Google maps are here.

http://aeguerre.free.fr/Public/PocketPC/NoniGPSPlot/tutos.php?tuto=_tuto_2.php

[Chromenut]

Great info!

[quartzster]

Captain IIII,

thanks so much for the work you put in to make the process clear.

I am using Noni at the moment to do a simple function and this is to warn
me about red light cameras with voice notification. We have 50 red
light camera locations here in Winnipeg...they are speed cameras as well,
and when I do not need the ability of a mapping program for directions,
I use noni, no navto required...and it warns me when I get near to one. Works perfectly!

I wanted to expand my use with the mapping feature but between
scattered info and Noni's instructions sometimes a bit of French and
English..was having a hard time.

I was intending on sending him a donation anyway, but your instructions
just made more worthwhile.

thank you

[bucky]

Any idea why I'm not able to get maps to load correctly all the time? By all the time, I mean I've probably tried at least 50 times but only gotten it to work twice. These two times were using different maps with both of these maps created using GoogleMapsViewer.

The jpg file for the map seems to load correctly all the time. The problem seems to be with the MAP file. When I import it into NoniGPSPlotter, an Info dialog box pops up displaying the lat/long, Rotate and Width information, but these numbers do not then populate the corresonding fields on the NoniGPSPlotter map screen.

I also have never been able to get MMSirf to install on my Mio. No big deal, since I've got SirfTech and can use it to turn off Static Navigation, but wonder why MMSirf won't install. When I attempt to install it using the link in your posting, a dialog box listing install options pops up, but the application itself never installs through ActiveSync.

[mike-y]

I am having the same problem.  when I try to load the .map file, the coordinates do not populate the latitude and longitude fields.  the box pops up and lists them, but when I click 'ok', nothing happens.

I was able to install MMsirf, but when I tried to run it, an error came up saying its not a valid windows CE application.  In the miomaps settings page somewhere, I see there is an option to choose "pedestrian", but I don't think it works outside of the miomaps program.

[Captain IIII]

Mike-y and Bucky, what version of NoniMap are you using?  I know some people were having this problem in previous versions but I haven't had it at all since upgrading to 2.63 English.  Also, I had to uninstall the previous version (2.61) before 2.63 would work right.  Although most people have been able to just install it over the old version.

Mike-y, it sounds like you are trying to run the MMSirf application on your Mio.  The *.exe that you download is a Windows PC application that installs MMSirf automatically for you through ActiveSync.  Trying to run it on the Mio will most certainly give that exact error message.

Bucky makes a good point, SirfTech is another program that can accomplish the same thing albeit in a bit more complicated way.

[mike-y]

Hi Captain,

I'm using the NoniGPS you linked, version 2.63.EN.  This was the first time I installed it on the mio (just got it last week!).  I was able to manually type in the coordinates using the pop up keyboard - and it worked after that, although a bit tedious to do.  But it was very cool when it worked!!

as far as MMsirf, I did the install through my pc, and everything seemed to install fine, as I clicked through the prompts like you showed. but when I go to run the program off the mio (shortcut in the programs directory), that's when I get the error about it not being a valid windows CE program.  I haven't tried the sirftech program yet though (it looks pretty complicated).

[Captain IIII]

Mike-y, are you using auto unlock or manual unlock?  It's possible missing DLL files are to blame.  I would also check where that shortcut points to just to be sure it is actually pointing to \Program Files\Memory-Map\MMSirfSetup.exe.

That is really weird that you have to manually enter the coords.  I am using the 'payware' version so it is possible that the auto entry is a courtesy for paying users.  I will ask Noni and see.

Also, if you haven't paid for it, you will notice that every time you close out of NoniMap, it 'forgets' all your maps and you have to re-enter them.  Very aggravating.  For me it was worth 5 Euros just so I didn't have to re-load all my maps every time.

[Captain IIII]

I was able to confirm with Noni that the problem that some are having with being forced to enter the coords. and the map width manually is in fact a 'feature' of the free version.  You get a pop-up that at least tells you what to enter (a great improvement over figuring it out by yourself!) but it won't be automatically entered unless you are a paying user.

[mike-y]

Ahhh, thanks for clearing that up Captain.  I have no problem paying the 5 euros, as I feel its a great program, but I wanted to make sure I had it working correctly first!  Now that I know its a pay feature, I will send Noni some money

As far as my unlock method.  I'm using the C310auto.exe files in the root directory of my SD card.  It does add directorys that contain both registry mods and .DLLs that are supposed to be copied to the mio when it starts.  I'll try fiddling with MMsirf a bit more this evening.

by the way, do you know if there is a tutorial for NoniGPSplot in english?.

thanks Captain!

[Captain IIII]

The is not one yet on the web that I know of.  However, there is one up on my screen right now about half done.  I got tired of translating French last night and went to bed.  However there will be soon an English version available once I get off my lazy butt and do it :-P.

[Adam_F]

@ Captain IIII

Thanks for the tutorial.  I just got Noni set up and it works great!!

[Captain IIII]

Was poking around elsewhere on the web and came across a great resource for finding missing *.dll files and other stuff.  Link at bottom of post. 

I mention it here however because I found that the aygshell.dll in folder '2' of this zip solves a lot of the problems I have been having with windows not having any title bars (and thus no method to close out). 

http://www.freeweb.hu/izemize/aygshells.zip

Particularly, it solved the problem I noted below of not being able to close MMSirf.  As soon as I started using this aygshell, I got my menu bar at the top of the windo and was able to close out.  You just take the file from folder 2 and copy it to your \windows\ directory.  I would make sure to rename the one you have aygshellbak.dll just to be sure you have it in case this doesn't work out.  Then do a soft reset and presto the problem is solved.

See?





Many various *.dll and other files.
http://izemize.fw.hu/hpc.php

[mike-y]

I found that same thread yesterday, Captain!  the aygshell.dll files do come in handy.  Although, what I learned, is that while one aygshell.dll works well with one program, it may not work well with another.

A good solution is to remove the aygshell.dll from the \windows directory, and then place the appropriate version of aygshell.dll file in the program directory of whichever program needs it.  I found version 4 works well with most programs that require an agyshell.dll, but when placed in the \windows directory, caused HPC media player to play movies upside down. 

I made a post in the unlocking section on how to do this with the auto-unlocking feature enabled.

[mike-y]

Also, Captain.. I tried installing MMSirfsetup.exe again. 

I connect the mio to PC via the USB, and run active sync.  (should I not run active sync?)
double click on the MMSirfsetup.exe file on my PC, and it installs to default directory on mio.

it appears to just copy one file - MMSifrsetup.exe to the program files directory on the mio.  When I try to open this file on the mio, I still get "not a valid windows CE application".  Is this program only one file?  it seems strange that it has a special installer if it is only one file.

I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.  I see that the program is very simple and easy to use, so I want to have it.  I tried another program last night and it just confused the heck out of me, lol.